Bureaucrats in key depts reshuffled

Thiruvananthapuram: Ahead of the next financial year that would begin rolling with the upcoming budget, the government has initiated some changes at the top level of bureaucrats, who are heading some key departments.
The government has given the additional charge of agricultural production commissioner to the principal secretary (agriculture) B Ashok, while principal secretary (cultural affairs) Rani George has been transferred and posted as principal secretary (social justice).
While Ashok Kumar Singh, who is back in the state after his central deputation has been posted as secretary (water resources), K Biju, who was holding the portfolio of secretary (ports) has been appointed as secretary (public works department) with the full additional charge of ports department.
Incumbent secretary (water resources) Pranab Jyothinath has been transferred and posted as secretary (sports and youth affairs) with full additional charge of secretary (animal husbandry) replacing M Sivasankar, who will retire from the service on January 31.
Rural development commissioner M G Rajamanickam has been given the full additional charge of special secretary (revenue devaswom), while incumbent Palakkad district collector Mrunmayi Joshi Shashank has been appointed as the mission director of National Health Mission. She will hold the full additional charge of managing director of Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd.
Incumbent joint secretary (health and family welfare) S Chithra will be the new district collector for Palakkad.